Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Ancestral Homes 150 Years Ago

From Randy over at Genea-Musings: 

Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

 

 

 Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1)  Determine where your ancestral families were on 1 June 1863 - 150 years ago.

2)  List them, their family members, their birth years, and their residence location (as close as possible).  Do you have a photograph of their residence from about that time, and does the residence still exist?

3)  Tell us all about it in your own blog post, in a comment to this post, or in a Facebook Status or Google+ Stream post.

Here's mine:

 

*  My 2nd great-grandparents, George Washington Tapley (1814-aft.1880) and Elizabeth MNU Tapley (1824-aft. 1880) were living in Johnson County, Georgia.  I do not have a photograph of their home; it has long since been destroyed.  The household included my great-grandfather, James (Jim) Madison Tapley (1847-1912).  

*  My 2nd great-grandmother, Elizabeth Scoggins Page (1802-unknown), was living in Johnson County, Georgia.  Her husband, Solomon Page (1800-1860), had already passed.

 

*  My great-grandmother, Elizabeth Rebecca (Becky) Page (1844-1924) was also living in Johnson County, Georgia, probably with her mother.  I do not have a photograph of their residence, but my cousin has pointed out the location to me.

*  My 2nd great-grandparents, James William Drake (1829-1908) and Mary Ann R. Brantley Drake (1837-1891) were living near Adrian in Emanuel County, Georgia.  In 1863, James was serving in the Civil War in G Company of the 32nd Infantry from Georgia.  Also in their household was my great-grandfather, William John Drake (1857-1927).  

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Francis Bryant Drake (1806-1875) and Selina King Drake (1812-1899) were living near Adrian in Emanuel or Johnson County, Georgia (Adrian sits half in each county).  I have no photographs of any of the ancestrial homes near Adrian.

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, James K. Harrell (1814-1895) and Nancy Beasley Harrell (1814-1898) were either still living in Darlington County, South Carolina or had already located to Emanuel County, Georgia.  In 1863, I believe my 2nd great-grandfather, William Robert Harrell (1838-1908), was still residing with his parents as he didn't marry until 1865.  

*  My 4th great-grandparents, Archibald Odom III (1798-1873) and Isabella Elizabeth Anderson Odom (1796-1873), were living in Emanuel County, Georgia.

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Elijah Samuel Odom (1816-1870) and Rutha Goff Odom (1812-1895) were living in Emanuel County, Georgia.   

*  My 2nd great-grandmother, Catherine M Odom (1841-1875) had recently been widowed and could have still been living in Johnson County or with her parents in Emanuel County, Georgia.

*  My 2nd great-grandfather, George W. Schwalls Sr (1837-1908) was living in Johnson County, Georgia.  In 1863, he was serving in the Civil War in Company E of the 48th Infantry from Georgia. 

  

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Zachariah W. Claxton (1806-unknown) and Lincelia Bush Claxton (dates unknown), were living in Edgefield County, South Carolina.

 

*  My 2nd great-grandmother, Lincelia E. Claxton (1839-1882) was recently widowed and living in Edgefield County, South Carolina.  

*  My 4th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hubbard Ranney (1790-1868) was most likely living in Summit County, Ohio. 

 

*  My 3rd great-grandfather, Luther Boardman Ranney (1809-1890) was also most likely living in Summit County, Ohio.  My 3rd great-grandmother, Sarah Maria Carter Ranney (18121846) had passed away and Luther was remarried to Caroline Clapp Ranney (1821-1895).  

 

*  My 2nd great-grandfather, Comfort Ranney (1838-1920) was living in Boston, Summit County, Ohio and was serving in Company D, 61st Infantry Regiment during the Civil War.

 

*  My 4th great-grandparents, James Warren Hesser (1819-1906) and Sophia Humphrey Hesser (dates unknown), were living in Summit County, Ohio.

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Jonathan Hesser (1791-1876) and Casena Viers Hesser (1800-unknown) were probably living in Ohio, too, though I have not confirmed that fact.  They were in Ohio by 1870.  

 

*   My 2nd great-grandmother, Mary Margaret Hesser (1842-1920) was also living in Summit County, Ohio,  mostly likely with her parents. I have no photographs of any of the ancestrial homes in Ohio. 

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Samuel Carter (abt. 1815-unknown) and Polly Marie Ozmun Carter (1817-unknown)  were probably living in Summit County, Ohio.  Their son, my 2nd great-grandfather, Charles K. Carter (1843-1916) may or may not have been living with them.  

*  My 3rd great-grandparents, Richard Schoonover (dates unknown) and Sara Ozmun Schoonover (1800-1870), along with their daughter, my 2nd great-grandmother, Sarah Melissa Schoonover (1840-1918) were living in parts unknown in 1863.  They were probably in Ohio, but I do not know if Charles and Sarah were married by then or any other details. 

I believe that is all of my ancestors alive in 1863 - 3 great-grandparents, 12 second great-grandparents, 15 third great-grandparents, and 5 fourth great-grandparents.  The lived in Georgia, Ohio, and South Carolina.  

I have no pictures of homes where they were living in 1863.  In most cases, I do not even know a location.  I also see where there are huge holes in my research as to the 1860 census and where many of my ancestors were living at that time.  MUST GET BUSY researching.  

Workday Wednesday: The Ranneys were Lumbermen and/or Farmers

The following information was gleaned from  History of Shiawassee and Clinton Counties, Michigan with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of their Prominent Men and Pioneers, Philadelphia:  D. W. Ensign & Co. 1880:

Comfort Ranney, my 2nd great-grandfather, was born in Boston, Summit County, Ohio, on February 7, 1838.  Sometime around 1865, he, along with his brother-in-law, Willis Leach, D. F. Sheldon, and O. A. Clark moved to Clinton County, Michigan and purchased 200 acres of timbered land and erected a steam saw-mill, and engaged quite extensively and successfully in the manufacturing of lumber for three years.  In 1868, Sheldon, Ranney, and Leach purchased several hundred acres of wild lands in the south part of Saginaw and Gratiot Counties, to which the moved their mill.  In 1869, Leach and Ranney purchased the interest of Sheldon.  From then until January 1872, the mill property and lumber was destroyed by fire three times.  Yet they "still prosecuted the work with a will and energy worthy of success."  During this time, they also erected a large custom flouring-mill at Bath.  From 1874 until Willis Leach's death in 1880, Comfort managed the lumber and mill interests.  After Leach's death, he "retired" to his farm there in Clinton County and devoted his time to improving his farm and rearing "fine stock." 

Willis Leach was born May 23, 1831, also in Summit County, Ohio.  (I would be interested to know if Comfort and Willis were childhood friends, in addition to being brothers-in-law.)  He first married Mary Ranney (Comfort's sister) and had four children.  After her death, he married Sophia Ranney, the sister of his first wife and Comfort.  They had eight children.  Willis moved to Duplain, Clinton County, Michigan, in January 1865.  His failing health was the reason he left the mills in Ranney's capable hands.

Comfort's father, my 3rd great-grandfather, Luther B. Ranney, was a farmer.  Farming seemed to have a particular fascination for him, - almost inherent, - as he continued at the occupation until he was way up in age.  At the advanced age of 71, he managed a large farm and continued to lead in many of the demanding physical activities required by the work. 

Luther's father and Comfort's grandfather, also named Comfort, was a native of Connecticut.  He emigrated to Ohio and purchased eighty acres of land at government prices.  He engaged in ship-building, putting afloat the first boats of considerable tonnage built at that place. A few years later, he sold his land, closed out his business, and moved to Summit County, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life.

As with my Ranney ancestors, many of my Tapley, Drake, Schwalls, and Page ancestors either were farmers or worked with wood in some way.  I will cover those in another post.  

Surname Saturday: Ranney, Ranny, and Rany

The name Ranney, along with its variants of Ranny, Rany, Rannie, Rainy, Ranye, Raynie, Reny, and Ryne, are found in Scottish records as early as 1453.  They were Septs to the MacDonnell Clan of Keppoch.  (Scottish Clans contained septs or branches, which were founded when powerful or prominent clansmen established their own important families.  Clans often had many septs that were often related through marriage.  During difficult times, the families sought to ally themselves with larger, more powerful clans for protection from enemies and other feuding clans.  This practice was effective in building respect, devotion, and familiarity between different families within the same clan.  Nowadays, this relationship is all but lost, but today septs often proudly wear the Clan tartan.  - From www.houseofnames.com/wiki/Septs)

The Clan tartan:

I have information about 12 generations of my maternal Ranney line:

- Thomas Rany

My 10th great-grandfather.  Birth and date information unknown, except the assumption that he was born in Scotland.  His spouse is unknown and the only child I know about is:

- Thomas Rany

My 9th great-grandfather.  He was born in 1616 in Montrose, Scotland and died 21 Jun 1713 in Upper Houses, Middletown, Connecticut.  He married May 1659 in Middletown, Connecticut, Mary Hubbard, born 16 Jan 1642 in Hartford, Connecticut and died 18 Dec 1721.  They had the following children:

  Thomas Ranney
  John Ranny
  Joseph Ranny
  Mary Ranny
  Elizabeth Ranny
  Esther Ranny
  Hannah Ranney
  Margaret Ranney
  Ebenezer Ranny
  Mercy Ranny
  Abigail Ranny

- Thomas Ranney

My 8th great-grandfather.  He was born 01 Mar 1661 in Middletown, Connecticut and died 06 Feb 1726.  He married 29 Mar 1691 in Hartford, Connecticut, Rebecca Willett, who was born about 1663 in Hartford.  They had the following children:

  Thomas Ranney
  Willett Ranney
  George Ranney
  Rebecca Ranney
  Nathaniel Ranney
  Ann Ranney
  Margaret Ranney

- Nathaniel Ranney

My 7th great-grandfather.  He was born 17 Jun 1702 in Upper Houses, Middletown, Connecticut and died 25 Sep 1766.  He married 16 Jan 1734, Rachel Sage, born 01 Jan 1708 and died 24 Feb 1755.  They had the following children:

  Nathaniel Ranney
  Ozias Ranney
  Rachel Ranney
  Naomi Ranney
  Abraham Ranney
  Amos Ranney

- Nathaniel Ranney

My 6th great-grandfather.  He was born 16 Jul 1735 in Upper Houses, Middletown, Connecticut and died 13 May 1800.  He married 10 Mar 1757, Prudence Willard, date of birth unknown and died 24 Sep 1803.  They had the following children:

  Thomas Willard Ranney
  Comfort Ranney
  Nathaniel Ranney
  Prudence Ranney
  Rachel Ranney
  David Ranney
  Daniel Ranney
  Alle Ranney
  Hannah Ranney
  Anne Ranney
  Huldah Ranney
  Willard Ranney

- Comfort Ranney

My 5th great-grandfather.  He was born 19 Dec 1759 in Upper Houses, Middletown, Connecticut and died in 1859 in Buffalo, New York while en route to the Western Reserve of Ohio.  He was married to Ruth Lenora Treat, date of birth unknown and died before 1812.  They had the following children:

  Comfort Ranney
  Jacob Ranney

- Comfort Ranney

My 4th great-grandfather.  He was born 20 Mar 1788 in Upper Houses, Middletown, Connecticut and died 14 Jul 1823 in Hudson, Summit County, Ohio.  He married 25 Dec 1808 in Haddam, Connecticut, Elizabeth Hubbard, a distant cousin, who was born 02 Apr 1790 in Haddam, Connecticut and died 04 Jan 1868.  They had the following children:

  Luther Boardman Ranney
  Laura Maria Ranney
  Julia A Ranney
  Eliza Samantha Ranney
  Ruth Leonora Ranney
  Elizabeth Jerusha Ranney
  Moses Ranney
  Sarah Florilla Ranney

- Luther Boardman Ranney

My 3rd great-grandfather.  He was born 28 Nov 1809 in Hudson, Summit County, Ohio and died 10 Nov 1890.  He was married to (1) Sarah Maria Carter, born 1812 in Ohio and died 29 Jul 1846.  They had the following children:

  Martha Ann Ranney
  Mary Elizabeth Ranney
  Comfort Ranney
  Harriet Sophia Ranney
  Sarah Maria Ranney

Luther married (2) Carolinne Clapp, born 03 May 1821 in Westhampton, Massachusetts and died 26 May 1895.  They had the following children:

  Julia Ann Ranney
  Luther Kelsey Ranney
  Carrie May Ranney

- Comfort Ranney

 My 2nd great-grandfather was born 07 Feb 1838 in Boston, Summit County, Ohio and died 18 Sep 1920 in DeWitt, Clinton County, Michigan.  He married 18 Dec 1868 in Nevada, Wyandot County, Ohio, Mary Margaret Hesser who was born 17 Jul 1842 in Ohio and died 06 Oct 1920 in DeWitt.  They had the following children:

  Luther Boardman Ranney
  Sarah Marie Ranney
  Luella S Ranney
  James Comfort Ranney

- Luther Boardman Ranney

My great-grandfather was born 11 Mar 1870 in Chapin, Saginaw County, Michigan and died 9 Oct 1943 in San Bernardino, San Bernardino County, California.  He was married to Bessie Alice Carter who was born 09 Feb 1883 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and died 14 Apr 1960 in Redlands, San Bernardino County, California.  They had the following children:

  Baby Boy Ranney (died at 4 days old)
  Kenneth Carter Ranney
  Alice Lucille Ranney
  Ethel Irene Ranney

- Ethel Irene Ranney

 My grandmother was born 06 Jul 1913 in Elsie, Clinton County, Michigan and died 12 Nov 1973 in Dublin, Laurens County, Georgia.   She married (1) 11 Feb 1934 in Redlands to Avery Hazel Plumlee, born 04 Dec 1911 in Texas and died 06 Jun 1997 in Orange County, California.  They had one child:

  Robert Avery "Bob" Plumlee

Ethel married (2) 03 Dec 1939 in Redlands, Charles Morgan Tapley, born 27 Jun 1907 in Johnson County, Georgia and died 12 Nov 1973 in Swainsboro, Emanuel County, Georgia.  They had one child:

- Linda Irene Tapley (my mother)

- And that leads to ME. 

Tombstone Tuesday: Isaac Ozmun and Maria Neumann Ozmun

Picture courtesy of FindAGrave.com contributor 44224

Isaac Ozmun

b 02 Mar 1785

d 26 May 1866

Maria Neumann Ozmun

b 19 Mar 1787

d 12 Jan 1883

laid to rest at

 Fairview Cemetery

Boston, Summit County, Ohio

Isaac was the son of

Abraham Ozman and Sarah Jordan Ozman

Maria's parents are

Unknown.

Isaac and Maria were my 4th great-grandparents.

Mary Elizabeth Tapley	Me
Linda Irene Tapley	My mother
Ethel Irene Ranney	My grandmother
Bessie Alice Carter	My great-grandmother
Charles K Carter	My 2nd great-grandfather
Polly Marie Ozmun Carter	My 3rd great-grandmother
Isaac Ozmun	My 4th great-grandfather